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Frugal Challenge: December 28th-January 3rd

2K views 36 replies 10 participants last post by  guest2 
#1 ·
Okay:
-no heat today
-hanging half of the wash
-grocery shopping with coupons
-breakfast, lunch, and dinner from the pantry
-going to teach piano/tutor even though I want to not do it because it's my vacation!
 
#3 ·
~heat turned down
~No $$ spent here, staying home
~made bread yesterday, rather than purchasing some
~one cat is gone
~decided against getting a dog for now (saving the cost of food and vet bills)
~found another book that needs to be returned
~purchased sugar rather than honey yesterday to bake bread. Sugar was $3.59 - honey $9.89. I could not justify purchasing the honey, when I can use less sugar, it lasts longer than the honey does when baking bread and it costs so much less.

How is everyone else doing?
 
#4 ·
~curtains all open letting the sun stream in so we don't have to use the lights
~went sledding and snowboarding on the hill up at the school for fun and exercise
~came home to have lunch instead of stopping at the restaurant
~hubby is using his cell phone to make long distance calls on the weekend since they have unlimited free weekend minutes (it's his work phone, but his boss doesn't mind if he uses it for personal calls also)
~meals are all from the pantry, freezer or fridge today
~will be watching another video tonight that we got for Christmas
~made a deal with hubby today that he will deal with his family so I won't end up loosing my mind.
~hubby suggested we start a savings fund for Christmas 2005 so that we can all go to Canada and not have to deal with his side of the family (this has not been a pleasant holiday season with them at all), they are driving us nuts!
 
#6 ·
Well, I had to turn on the heat this morning, because it was off when we all went to bed last night and when we woke up, it was 55 in the upstairs, and I think dd's room was significantly cooler because she's above the garage. So, I turned it on to 58 so that it will warm up a bit, but then I'll turn it back down again.
-at 10 am, dh, dd, and I have a tour of the nursery school/daycare that we are hoping to send her to in September. It's cheaper than the daycare she's at now, and we want her in a little more of a structured environment.
-hoping to use my Walmart gift card from Christmas to buy some organizational baskets for some of dd's toys and clothes (hopefully by staying organized, things won't get lost and won't need to be replaced)
-breakfast, lunch, and dinner from the pantry
 
#7 ·
Today's a work day for me, but I'm still saving $ by:

~heat is turned down
~dh and I both packed lunch
~I made cappacino at home rather than buying it
~made a large hotdish last night, so dh will have lefovers tonight (I am meeting friends for dinner, but it's the first time in 1-1/2 years that I will have seen a friend that moved to Birmingham, so well worth it!)
~while in the city, I plan to stop at Walmart to pick up milk at cheaper prices.
 
#8 ·
~cutting up the rest of the ham today and getting it frozen or used today
~making soup with the ham bone
~eating leftovers
~baking 4 loaves of bread
~going sledding for exercise today with the boys
~renewing books online so that we don't have late fees at the library
~having 2 tons of wood pellets delivered this afternoon and the kids and I will get them all hauled and stacked after they are dropped off in the driveway
 
#9 ·
Grrrr this dang computer. I had it all typed up and then it froze up.

Today were going into the city to deposit some checks as soon as dh gets home from work.

~have the heat turned down
~eating leftovers for supper
~keeping this keyboard for now. The "O" doesn't work properly but I don't want to spend any $$ right now
~turning off lights when not in use
 
#10 ·
I had the heat off when we went to bed, but woke up at 5:30 to turn it on for about an hour. It is now off again.

~blinds are open
~DH replaced the front and rear brakes on his truck yesterday saving labor costs if he would have taken it somewhere else.
~Dh also replaced the rear brakes on my car yesterday.
~have supper in slowcooker...7 bean soup for me and the boys
~DH will be eating supper for free at the fire chiefs meeting tonight....he will be taking the 7 bean soup for lunch tomorrow
~no money spent today
 
#12 ·
Today I worked, but did not pack my lunch. The hospital cafeteria is relatively cheap, though and I had stuffed shells for $1.75. Got my soda from the fridge in the office, so my drink was free.

Came home and found the thermostat on 70!!! GGGGGRRRRRRRRRR! I haven't had it on 70 yet. It's turned back to 66 now, and will go back to 64 tonight.

Picking up more hours at the office starting next week to cover my car payment. Ebay is not enough right now.

Joining the office 401K plan in January. I can only afford 3% right now, but hey it's more than I put away now! They will match my contributions, too.

Putting some of my Christmas gifts on ebay tomorrow (bad, I know, but the in-laws... well you know) Remember I need the money, lol.
 
#13 ·
No $ spent here today. Lunch was McDonald's, but we used McDonald's gift certificates for it, so it was free to us! Dinner was pork roast in the Crock Pot, rice and green beans. We had coacoa for dessert.

It is very, very cold here today. We woke up to snow, but it was gone before noon. Now, it is clear and COOOOOLD.
 
#14 ·
-Heat is set at 58 and dd and I are bundled up in sweats
-Breakfast, lunch, and dinner will be from the pantry/fridge
-Hoping to go to Walmart to return something of dh's and pick up the same item in a smaller size, but $3 cheaper (carpet protector for under his stationary bike so he can get back to exercising now that the basement has been redone...I don't want sweat on my carpet...gross!)
-Plan on starting to price some Christmas stuff (knick-knacks from students, etc) for our spring garage sale...will save time in the spring
-window shades are open to let the sun warm the house, although I doubt it will help much since it's gray and overcast outside
-dd and I are going to Blockbuster to rent two movies for New Year's Eve for me and dh to watch, using the Blockbuster gift card we got for Christmas from my parents
-to post office to mail out coupon trades
-all lights in the house are out except for in the room dd and I are in (of course, there are two computers on in here which probably eats up more electricity than leaving lights on would!)
 
#15 ·
LOL CJ you sound like me. My space bar hasn't worked properly for a year, but I'm not buying a new keyboard until we get a new computer.
~today I have to go have car inspected
~Pay taxes:(
~ get dog food
~ food will be leftover soup fromlast night
~ I plan on making bread to have on hand
~ ditto with dog cookies
 
#16 ·
No $$ spent here today. I spent enough yesterday, but I sure do like my keyboard. I did get the cheapest one I could. Its my only entertainment, so I can justify paying for one I guess. :toothy:

~heat is turned down
~all lights out when not in room
~baking bread today, rather than buying
~washing dark clothes today\using less laundry soap
~going to venture into homemade cleaners for the house
~we were given a 1 1/2 lbs. of elk meat last night, I'm saving it for when our oldest son comes out for a visit.
 
#17 ·
~No money spent today
~heat off, blinds open for heat
~Lights off in all the rooms
~Eating from pantry and freezer
~Picking up title to one car today...finally paid it off! (BUT the bad thing is we have 2 more to pay for. We kept this car that I had before I bought my car I drive now for Richard.)
~mailing off Walgreens rebate form
~mailing off copenhagen dates for DH who just has to have the stuff..his addiction..they will send us $25 in coupons which helps tremendously AND they are paying the postage, not us!
 
#18 ·
~curtains open to let the light in
~the kids and I are each taking short showers (I love to just soak in the shower)
~making all meals from the pantry
~borrowed some DVD's from the library
~renewing books online
~going sledding with the kids!:D
 
#19 ·
Have to add one more thing for today.
While we were in town we went by Pizza Hut and picked up lunch for free. I forgot we had a coupon that would expire tomorrow if we didn't use it...so the boys and I ate FREE pizza for lunch.:)
 
#20 ·
Today I brewed homemade iced tea. I turned off the burner just before it boiled, so it would still cook. I also cooked the water with a lid on so it would boil faster. :)

Heat is on 67 degrees and blinds are open.

Dinner is from the pantry, as was breakfast and lunch.

Went to Kohls and returned a blouse for $15.00 cash. Put $5.00 in my gas tank and have to hope the $10.00 left will last me until next Wednesday (payday). Ha ha....

I came straight home from Kohl's ignoring clearance racks and golden arches. I'm so proud of me! ;)
 
#21 ·
Well, I am happy to say, I haven't stepped in a store since december 23rd. I am itching to go see the after christmas sales, but I am not going this year, since money is too tight. Instead, I was making an inventory of all the things we don't need or use and I am planning a big garage sale for this spring. I wrote everything down and plan on cleaning the things and storing them well until May...

We ate what we had in the pantry.

Heat is low...

I handed washed the dishes.

I'm trying to figure out what to make for supper, without going to the grocery store...I still have a pound of hamburger meat frozen.

You what, friends, I think this is FUN! To try to find more ways to be frugal! :)
 
#23 ·
No $$ spent here today. Its too cold to go outside.

~all blinds are opened to let the sun heat up the house
~had to caulk one of our windows, there was a bit of frost on it this morning. Dh has to do the outside window when he gets home from work today.
~using crockpot to make supper tonight
~all lights turned off when not in use
~radio turned off when not listening to it
~using old calendars to make writting pads (the back of each month is blank)
 
#24 ·
I am glad you are having so much fun trying to figure out new ways to be frugal Lucie.

~blinds open, sun shing in
~heat off during day
~used microwave to heat up lunch
~using crockpot for supper
~hanging clothes to dry
~handwashing dishes
 
#25 ·
Well, I went to Target and spent .32 thanks to my $50 gift card from my parents for Christmas. I bought thank you cards for my student gifts and some other stuff on Christmas clearance.

No heat here, although it's pretty chilly.

Blinds open.

Getting ready to spend a quiet evening at home with dh and two free dvd's.
 
#26 ·
It's a snowy and chilly day here in Eastern Washington state. I'm still in my jammies and have some fleece pants on too.;) Our back bedroom is kind of clod, so I keep a lap blanket here with me at all times when I'm on the computer.

~have the curtains open to let in the light.
~eating leftovers for breakfast, snacks and lunch.
~going to friend's house for a big New Years Eve party and sledding. Potluck meal. I'm making crab, cream cheese and green onion wontons and rice.
~taking down Christmas decorations and dusting as we go
~oldest son won a bag of cat food on the radio trivia contest :yippee:, so I can scratch that off my shopping list.
~playing in the glorious snow:bigsnow:
 
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